Rostrevor Forest facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rostrevor Forest
Map
Location in Northern Ireland
Geography
Location	Down, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
Coordinates	54°05′42″N 6°11′17″W / 54.095°N 6.188°W / 54.095; -6.188
Area	1,700 hectares (4,200 acres)
Administration
Established	1931
Governing body	Forest Service Northern Ireland
Ecology
Forest cover	1,000 hectares (2,500 acres) (Approx. 59%)
Dominant tree species	sitka spruce, douglas fir and pine

Rostrevor Forest is a beautiful woodland in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is close to the village of Rostrevor. This forest sits between the amazing Mourne Mountains and Carlingford Lough. It is part of a special area known for its natural beauty.

The first trees were planted here in 1931. These included sitka spruce, douglas fir, and pine trees. The Forest Service looks after the forest. They cut down some trees when needed, but they always plant new ones. They make sure to help wildlife when they do this. You can find animals like red and grey squirrels, foxes, and badgers here. Birds like jays and sparrow hawks also live in the forest.

Cool Features of Rostrevor Forest

Rostrevor Forest has some really interesting spots to explore. From giant stones to ancient trees, there's a lot to discover.

The Giant's Stone: Cloughmore

On top of a hill in the forest, there is a huge stone called the Cloughmore Stone. It weighs about 40 tonnes! This giant granite rock was left there around 10,000 years ago. This happened when a massive sheet of ice, called a glacier, melted away.

There's also a fun local story about the stone. People say a giant named Fionn mac Cumhaill threw it across Carlingford Lough. He supposedly threw it from the top of the Cooley Mountains!

Rostrevor Oakwood: Ancient Trees

Inside Rostrevor Forest, there's a special area called Rostrevor Oakwood. It's about 40 acres big. This part of the forest has oak trees that are around 250 years old! These trees are what's left of much larger oak woods. Most of the original oak trees were cut down in the 1700s and 1800s. Their wood was used to build boats.

This ancient oakwood is now a protected place. It's called a Special Area of Conservation. This means it's very important for nature.

The Invisible Tree Story

One of the oak trees in Rostrevor Oakwood became very famous. It was accidentally left out of a survey for some building work nearby. This meant it was in danger of being damaged. Because of this, people started calling it the "Invisible Tree." In 2019, this special oak tree was voted Northern Ireland's Tree of the Year!

Fiddler's Green: A Place for Fun

There's a clearing on the edge of the oakwood called Fiddler's Green. Long ago, this was a popular meeting spot for people from the village. All sorts of entertainment would happen here. Since 1986, the village has held a traditional music event every July. It's called the Fiddler’s Green Festival, named after this historic spot.

Images for kids

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  Rostrevor Forest from the west end of Rostrevor

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  Cloughmore Stone